My Freeview box has no EPG, is blank on FIVE, ITV3, ITV4, ITV2+1, has no sound o
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV To deal with the problem you must clear the channel list completely and then rescan - if your box has it in the menus, please the 'installation menu' to do an initial scan or a reset to factory settings or First Time Installation. You MUST delete the entire existing list of channels. On most boxes this technique can be also be used:
Try this:
1) unplug your Freeview box (or idTV) from the mains;
2) unplug the aerial from the Freeview box by disconnecting the cable from the 'RF in' socket;
3) wait 30 seconds;
4) plug Freeview box (or idTV) mains back in;
5) do a complete scan for channels - it will fail without the aerial. (This may be in the installation or initialization menu, and is distinct from any 'add channels option'). Once this is done your channel line up should be empty;
6) reinsert aerial by reconnecting to the 'RF in' connection;
7) do a complete scan for channels again.
The Freeview channel line-up provided by six "multiplexes" - each of which carry five or more TV channels, radio channels, text services and EPG data. In this diagram each ROW represents a multiplex. If you are still missing a whole multiplex (ie everything on the row) you may need to replace your aerial with a wideband type, purchase a larger aerial or you may have interference from a VCR, games console, Sky Digibox or similar.
3:42 PM
Chris.SE:
Hi Chris, thank you for your prompt reply. I appear to have all channels back apart from my HD channels.
The aerial is outdoor roof mounted and appears to be intact and pointing the same way it has always pointed. I dont really want to climb up on the roof for closer inspection of cables etc. It seems very odd that all of a sudden I am experiencing problems in the last few weeks the same time as engineering works are happening.Things have been working problem free for many years until now.
I will give it a few more days then do the manual retune as per your suggestion. I hope I do not have to pay out for another aerial for crying out loud!
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4:48 PM
carol:
If the channel LCNs 101-107 are not appearing in your channel list (as opposed to being there but with "No Signal") then you may as well do that MANUAL retune of C40.
If it's still no signal it could be a transmission issue but there's still no fault reports that I can find!
How old is your aerial? Do you know what type it is by any chance?
Should you need to go down the path of a replacement you should have a Group K aerial (not a Group B as some might advise). Group K cuts off above C48 to help protect you from possible mobile mast interference from any new/upgraded phone masts. Group B does not cut off like that.
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9:42 AM
Chris.SE:
Hi Chris, still no luck with the HD channels....I shall try again in a few days time.
The aerial is a wideband aerial installed in 2005 for the digital switchover. It's looking likely that its a new aerial isn't it? The thing is, I can't see anyone else having these problems in my area.....
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2:29 PM
carol:
That is at the age where problems could be expected, however how long an aerial system survives depends on exposure and the original quality of the aerial plastic connector box and the coax cable. The cable sheath can get brittle and crack as can the connector box and water can enter and get into the coax. If it were a transmission problem I would have expected to see several posts about reception problems especially on the Sutton Coldfield page and there's still no fault reports listed.
If your downlead terminates in a wall plate, have a look at the back of it to check for corrosion or water. If it goes straight to a coax plug into the back of the set, check the plug especially after it's been laying on the floor for a while, water tends not to go up hill when it up plugged into the set !!
The thing about these sorts of problems is that it doesn't always (visibly) affect all multiplexes. The behaviour of the cable can become frequency dependant depending on where the fault is due to what's called "standing waves". Sometimes looking at the Signal Strength and Quality figures in the TV Tuning section can give a clue.
If the signals return after a few days of dry weather, water in the system is the most likely cause.
If you are able to find the Signal Strength and Quality figures in your TV Tuning section, post them for each multiplex, it could confirm what we suspect.
Don't forget, if you get the aerial replaced, a Group K and double screened coax for the downlead.
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6:33 AM
Chris.SE:
Was pleased to see the HD channels had returned to the channel list this morning. However, upon entering the channel, still no picture, error message still saying 'selected programme not tuned'. Performed an auto and manual tune, HD channels disappeared off the list again. Back to square one!
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